Railway-crossing signal.



R? E. DRISCOLL.

RAILWAY CROSSING SIGNAL.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. I2, 19H.

Patented May II, I 9161 2 SHEETSSHEEI I.

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J-nventor Wfiwwoow 2 371 DH SQOIi R. E. DRISCOLL.

RAILWAY CROSSING S |GNAL.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 12. 1914.

1 1 82, 1 52. Patented May 9, 1916.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT E. DRISCOLL, OF OMAHA, NEBRASKA, ASSIGNOR OF TWO-FIFTHS TO CLARENCE L. RUFFCORN AND ONE-FIFTH TO ANTONIO COSTANZO, BOTH 0F OMAHA, NEBRASKA.

RAILWAY-CROSSING SIGNAL Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 9, 1916.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, ROBERT E. DRISCOLL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Omaha, in the county of Douglas and State of Nebraska, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway-Crossing Signals, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to railway crossing signals, and has for its objects to provide means for warning the occupants of vehicles or others passing on a highway of the near proximity of railway trains, said means to consist of few and simple parts, so that manufacture may be economical and which will be efiicient and durable in use.

With the foregoing objects in view and others to be mentioned, the invention presents a novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts as described herein and claimed, and as illustrated in the drawing, wherein,

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of the electrical conductors and a partly broken view in side elevation of a signal, embodying the invention, parts thereof being in section. Fig. 2 is a partly broken, transverse section on line 22 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing relative position of parts and the electrical conductors connected with the track.

Referring now to the drawing for a more particular description, numeral 1 indicates a metallic post disposed adjacent to a railway crossing and provided with a metallic,

transverse arm 5 preferably having a length sufficient to be disposed above the crossing. This arm is provided, intermediate its ends, with a pair of insulated brackets or contactplates indicated, respectively, at 7 and 8.

Carried by arm 5 and projecting below the brackets is a stationary, metallic supporting-plate 9, upon which, by means of the pivot pin 10, the signal or pendulum 11 is mounted, said pendulum being provided, inwardly of the mounting, with the toothed sector 12 and a latch-arm 13, normally in engagement with the catch 21 of the armature a.

Mounted on arm 5 is an electromagnet 14 provided with a conductor 15 communicating with a battery 16. At 17 is an electrical conductor connecting the battery 16 with one of the track rails 18 (Fig. 3.), the adjacent track rail 19 being provided with an electrical conductor 20 in contact with the post 4. It will be understood that the metallic parts of a locomotive or train, which may enter upon the track rails 18 and 19 will operate to close the circuit provided by conductors 17 and 18, in a manner to energize the electromagnet 14, for causing the catch 21 of armature a to be disengaged from arm 13 of the pendulum, the track rails 18 and 19 being insulated, as indicated at b, from the track rails 18 and 19 to form the block A shown in Fig. 3.

In order that the pendulum may have swinging movements while the train is upon the block A, the solenoids 22 and 23 are employed and are mounted, preferably. upon the lower side of arm 5, their cores w being provided with the rack bar 24 extending therebetween in engagement with the teeth of the sector 12, the solenoids being disposed substantially equi distant from the respective contact-plates 7 and 8.

At 25 is indicated a contact finger. It is adapted to have swinging movements to move into alternate engagement with the contact plates 7 and 8 while mounted at its lower end upon the pivot pin 10 when forcibly moved by the projections or lugs d and d which extend outwardly from the sector, as best shown in Fig. 2.

At 26 is indicated a conductor electrically energized by the battery 27 having a conductor a connected with the metallic arm 5, as shown in the drawing, a conductor 2') connecting this battery with the conductor 26, said conductor together with the conductor 26 connecting the two solenoids, as shown. At 28 is a conductor connecting the solenoid 23 with contact plate 7. 'At 29 is a conductor connecting the solenoid 22 with contact plate 8, and when arm 13 is released from the catch 21, the rack bar will move in the direction of the solenoid 23 for the reason that when the contact finger 25 is in engagement with the plate 7 a circuit is completed from the battery 27 through the conductors b and 26, solenoid 23, conductor 28, contactoplate 7, finger 25, thence through the metallic parts 10, 9 and 5, and wire or conductor a to said battery 27.

The swinging movement of the signal toward the post will cause engagement of the projection (I with the contact finger 25 and move said finger into engagement with contact plate 8, said engagement causing a movement of the rack bar in a reverse di rection, or toward the solenoid 22, for the reason that when the contact finger 25 is in engagement with plate 8 the circuit is established for battery 27 through conductors b, 26' to solenoid 22, conductor 29 and thence to the battery 27 through contact plate 8, finger 25, the metallic parts 10, 9 and 5 and conductor a; and the swinging movements of the signal will be continued until the train leaves the block A. It will be understood that when the train leaves block A, the electrical circuit between conductors 18 and 20 will be broken, and the swinging movements of the signal will cease, for the reason that its arm 13 will be caught by the catch 21, the armature a being released and adapted to swing downwardly for engagementwith saidarm, as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing.

Among some of the advantages to be derived by use of the invention, it may be stated that the parts employed in the construction are few, thereby conducing to economy in manufacture. The normal tendency of the pendulum is to be constantly moving, its movements being terminated by the train leaving the block A, and remainin at rest until another train enters said block. The normal tendency of the armature of the electromagnet is to be in engagement with the latch arm of the pendulum and to remain in such engagement until a train enters the block A. It is considered that the disclosure shows the parts to be effective in operation for the purposes described, and that the parts will be durable in wear.

Having fully described the invention, what I claim and desire to secure 'by Letters Patent is,-

A railway crossing signal, comprising, in combination with a support, a pair of electrically connected, oppositely disposed solenoids on the support, a rack bar connecting the cores of the solenoids, a pair-of contact-plates on the support disposed in a plane substantially midway between the solenoids, each contact-plate being electrically connected with a solenoid, a pivotally mcunted pendulum having a latch arm and provided with a sector in engagement with the rack bar and having a contact-finger normally in engagement with one of said contact-plates, an electromagnet provided with a circuit and having an armature provided with a catch for engagement with the latcharm of the pendulum when the circuit is opened.

In testimony whereof, I have affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ROBERT E. DRISCOLL.

Witnesses:

HIRAM A. STURGES, ARTHUR MAROWITZ- 

